"Oh."

"Don't touch anything."

Halo carelessly put down his bag on the sofa and approached the shelf in the corner filled with instruments. There were records and sheet music files piled up everywhere in this studio that felt oddly familiar.

The place these students, probably his peers, guided him to was a cool, dark basement hideout that was clearly theirs. They seemed at ease and unguarded there.

"Well, as long as you don't break anything, it's fine. Just leave it be."

“That’s right if you’re Jinsoo’s friend, then you’re our friend.”

The man who casually brought a complete stranger to his studio, wearing clothes unsuited for the dead of winter, laughed breezily.

"Wanna go out for a smoke?"

"Sure. Jinsoo, go ahead and warm up the place while your hyungs are out."

"Again? Ah, maybe I should have a smoke too."

"Jinsoo, don't do that stuff. Sigh."

Making a two-fingered gesture, they noisily headed out together in a line, blowing out puffs of breath.

Before long, only Halo and a sullen-faced student sitting on the sofa, Jang Jinsoo, remained in the studio.

Jang Jinsoo was watching Halo wander around with clear displeasure on his face. If not for the 'hyungs,' he probably would've kicked him out.

Of course, Halo had no reservations whatsoever, flipping through the files like they were his, intrigued.

"All this is yours?"

"Mine? It's the hyungs'. This whole basement hideout, too."

"What do these hyungs do?"

Clearly a rock band, but Halo wanted more details. Whether they had albums released or where they were mainly active. What kind of music they played.

"They work at clubs."

Jinsoo didn't grasp the intention behind the question and gave a short answer. He wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed.

"What's the group's name?"

"No, I mean they work at Hongdae clubs. Jinyeong-hyung is a DJ, Gonghak-hyung is an audio engineer. And Deoksoo-hyung is... What was it, unemployed?"

"And?"

"And what? They didn't say anything about side gigs."

Jinsoo neither understood what he was getting at nor seemed very reliable.

They must've done something if they made a studio like this. There were guys who talked big about making music but wasted their lives without realistically achieving anything, but still.

"What about you then?"

"Me? I'm... What about me?"

What an idiot.

Unable to stand the frustration, Halo glared at him, and Jinsoo stuck out his lower lip.

"The hyungs teach me songwriting and how to use composing programs and stuff, so I'm following them around to learn. I... Um, I wanna try out for Soyou."

"Oh yeah?"

"Mm..."

The more hesitant his voice got, the more he seemed to be testing the waters.

Something was off. He didn't seem old enough to be going into a strip bar or anything.

Then it must just be a regular club. Or maybe auditions for some group.

Having guessed the answer somewhat closely, Halo pulled out a file. 1963. Please Please Me. The Beatles. Upon discovering an unfamiliar name, he flipped through the musical score files arranged chronologically.

"Hey."

Silence fell over the studio.

When Halo called out to him, Jinsoo flinched violently.

"What now? But shouldn't you be going home?"

"That's not important."

Halo inserted a file and completed the purchase of the album.

Even after searching through similar eras, there was no sign of it anywhere.

"How is it possible that someone claiming to make music has not a single Halo album?"

Halo shamelessly looked for his own name.

There wasn't a single trace of HALO on the “H” shelves.

He began to doubt whether these alleged musician guys were real.

With only people he'd never heard of and no Halo, it was unbelievable. No matter how early he died, he had numerous hit albums and left a huge musical legacy.

"This isn't my basement hideout, so how would I know?"

Jinsoo gave an irritated answer without realizing how seriously Halo was speaking.

"So there's none at your place either?"

"No. But what's Halo?"

"What?"

Halo looked at Jinsoo with a stiff expression.

Surprisingly, Jinsoo's face showed genuine ignorance.

"A famous indie rapper? First time hearing of him."

"?!"

What the hell's he talking about?

"I don't know much aside from hip hop."

How could he not know that?

Or could this place be a parallel world or distant future where he was forgotten? Where he didn't exist?

Halo was more confused than ever today.

"Hey, move over. Lemme search it up. It'll be quick, just in case."

Jinsoo heavily sat himself down in front of the computer. Halo walked over next to him and glared at the back of his head.

Unless they were malicious antis pretending not to know, it was impossible.

Tap tap tap clack.

Jinsoo scrolled down.

Science articles.

Video games.

And.

Nothing.

"There's nothing there, is there?!"

"What do you mean nothing, after everything I lived through-!"

"Look look."

Jinsoo moved out of the seat.

Halo sat where Jinsoo was and looked over his search history. Jinsoo helpfully scrolled down himself, emphasizing how aside from encyclopedia entries and a video game series, there was nothing related to Halo.

Halo thought.

This makes no sense.

"Is this right?"

"Would it be wrong? If it's not on the internet, it doesn't exist. What're you getting all huffy for? Are you searching for something related to a love affair or something like that?"

"..."

"Well, people who haven't released albums or songs won't have info online. Nothing comes up for unknown underground artists."

"That makes even less sense."

From the clothes he wore that day to the words he spoke and actions he took, everything made headlines and he released albums that shook up the world.

So how could he be underground when he stood at the pinnacle?

Calling him an underground artist?

Halo clutched at his hair. The messy strands were healthy with nothing wrong, but that wasn't important right now.

"Hey, you okay? Why're you like that?"

Halo lifted his head with a jerk.

He does exactly what Jinsoo just did.

Only the search content was different.

He searched up every star he knew of and

And.

"Where's it hurt?"

His face grew paler by the second.

He realized this wasn't just him falling into a future foreign land.

The names he knew either didn't exist or belonged to different people. Neither Halo nor anyone else were figures who had existed in this world.

He had come to a world with a completely separate history.

The world he knew, the common sense he held had been entirely flipped over.

"Hey, No Haeil!"

It was an extremely bizarre feeling.

#

"Oh, leaving already? So your name was-"

"Hyung, I'll be out for a bit."

"Jinsoo, where are you going?"

"He suddenly can't remember his home address so I'm taking him to school."

"Huh?"

"It must be school stress or something. That's not important, hyung. I recorded a song I wanna try out on Soyou!"

"Oh, you finally made one! Sure, go ahead."

#

Jang Jinsoo whistled.

"Whoa, No Haeil, were you a chaebol's son? Thought you were just a regular guy but didn't know you were a rich kid, huh."

The elevator overlooking Seokchon Lake ascended swiftly toward the higher floors. Jinsoo placed his hand on the glass wall of the elevator and admired the view, not inferior whatsoever to the Han River.

"The kids at our school all live well, but you too? Am I the only dirt spoon?"

Muttering to himself, Jinsoo peered at No Haeil. No Haeil still wasn't in his right mind.

The teachers were puzzled when he told them he'd forgotten where he lived, but allowed him to leave out of concern at just how pale his complexion was.

As a model student, he was doted on more than the average kid. His future enrollment was pretty much set in stone even with year-end exams remaining, since they assumed he would go to either a foreign language high school or science high school.

'If it were me, I would've told him to quit joking around and go study, right?'

What an unfair world.

Jinsoo looked at No Haeil resentfully.

'Don't know why a punk like that was sitting with a guitar on the Hongdae streets.'

Though they were quite unexpected acquaintances and he hadn't spoken informally to him, he had accidentally called out his name.

Ding.

The elevator doors opened on the 27th floor.

Jinsoo pushed listless No Haeil forward.

"You didn't forget the passcode too, did you?"

"..."

"Damn."

He got to get something out of this since he stuck his nose in it already.

Ding dong. Jinsoo pressed the doorbell button with a stiff face.

"Hello."

Jinsoo politely greeted the woman who opened the door.

"I brought No Haeil because he couldn't find his house."

"What do you— oh my, Haeil! Why are you home at this hour...!"

The neatly made-up woman discovered pale No Haeil and was astonished.

The formerly gentle tone grew increasingly louder.

Then realizing they weren't alone, she smiled softly.

Were all the ajummas in this neighborhood like that?

Feeling the chilly vibe, Jinsoo stood up straight in perfect posture.

"Ah, this ajumma a bit absent-minded, isn’t she? Sorry, thanks for bringing Haeil with you."

"No, not at all. I'll just go now."

"Just wait a moment. You must be thirsty, right? Wait a minute."

The woman took out two fifty-thousand-won bills from her wallet.

"Well, it's okay..."

"Buy something to drink while you're on your way home. It's proper not to refuse what adults offer, you know?"

"Um... yes."

"By the way, what did you say your name was?"

"J-Jang Jinsoo."

"Alright, Jinsoo."

Jang Jinsoo awkwardly accepted the two fifty-thousand-won bills.

He didn't want to take them, but he didn't know how to refuse. For now, he just wanted to escape the uncomfortable gaze of the ajumma. He hoped No Haeil would say something, but the guy who couldn't be of any help was just standing there idly.

"Are you close with our Haeil, Jinsoo?"

"Yes?"

"Since I've never seen you before."

Curved lips.

But the cold eyes scrutinized Jang Jinsoo.

Dressed in ripped jeans and a graphic tee rather than his school uniform, Jinsoo didn't look much like a model student at first glance.

"Ah."

Jinsoo instinctively grasped that this ajumma didn't think positively of him.

"Ah, um, I’m a classmate in the same class as him."

"I see."

The woman smiled elegantly again.

Though beautiful and pretty, she resembled the witch from Snow White.

"I-I'll get going now."

"Oh my, I was holding you back too much, huh? Be careful on your way back."

"Y-Yes."

Jinsoo hurriedly bowed his waist, deciding to get out of this situation. But the heavens didn't seem keen on helping him. The elevator had already gone down. He spammed the elevator button, praying for it to come faster.

"Haeil, does it hurt anywhere?"

He could hear the woman's voice from behind.

"Should mom take you to the doctor for a checkup? The year-end exams are just around the corner, you need to take care of your health."

Not knowing how No Haeil felt, Jinsoo personally found it hard to breathe.

Was it appropriate to bring up exams when he was looking anywhere near this ghostly pale?

"But what's that thing?"

"..."

"I don't think I've seen that before."

Jinsoo snuck a glance back.

No Haeil's mom was staring fixedly at the guitar he had slung over his shoulder. Clearly not a good reaction.

"Haeil, you need to answer your mom, no?"

Goosebumps arose in the growing tension, but No Haeil didn't say a word.

"Do I need to tell your dad about this?"

Gravity grew heavier with each line.

Damn, what to do?

Should I leave things be? She doesn't seem like a normally frightening ajumma or anything.

What's it my business anyway? Just ignore it.

He didn't seem that bad a kid anyway. He didn't laugh when Jinsoo said he wanted to try out for Soyou.

All sorts of thoughts ran through his mind.

Logic screamed at him not to meddle.

But he would nonetheless.

Taking a deep breath, Jinsoo let out a loud shout.

"Oh.my.goodness.can't.believe.I.al.most.left.with.out.my.gui.tar!"

No Haeil's mom was so startled she didn't say anything.

"Hae-Haeil! Thanks for holding this. Was it very heavy?!"

What loyalty was he owing a guy he barely knew?

Jinsoo absolutely could not comprehend why he was doing this.

"..."

No Haeil showed no tact whatsoever.

Jinsoo swallowed curses through his forced smile as he slowly approached No Haeil.

Still, as if questioning whether he hadn't gone yet, the ajumma’s eyes became mysterious, and when they met, she smiled delicately.

"Was this yours?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Jang Jinsu discreetly nudged No Haeil's side, indicating that he should help out. To hand it over.

"Why?"

Finally, No Haeil reacted. However, it was an unwanted reaction.

"Give me my guitar."

He nudged him again, out of sight from the lady.

"Why are you looking for your guitar from me?"

This idiot.

Jang Jinsoo suppressed his frustration and forced a smile.

"You're carrying it, my guitar."

"What?"

As if asking, No Haeil furrowed his brow.

He was undoubtedly the most clueless person in this situation. Jinsoo regretted trying to help such a guy.

"That, hand it over."

"What are you talking about?"

"Your mother is watching. Give me my guitar, and go inside."

He had dropped a big hint; he hoped No Haeil would catch on.

"Haeil, yes, return your friend's stuff."

The lady intervened.

No Haeil glanced between Jang Jinsoo and his mother, then suddenly seemed to realize something.

Yeah, that's right, you fool.

Jang Jinsoo really wanted to cry.

"Hand it...over...quickly-"

"But this is mine?"

"What?"

The atmosphere soured in an instant.

Damn. Jinsoo bit his lip to hold in curses.

Oblivious to the tense air, No Haeil casually looked back at Jinsoo.

"Thanks for bringing me home."

"That, No Haeil..."

Now there was nothing more Jinsoo could do.

With trembling feet, Jinsoo turned away.

"Take care on your way back, Jeongsu."

The ajumma waved her hand.

She didn't realize she got his name wrong.

She probably never intended to remember his name from the start.

"Y-yes."

Hiding his stiff expression, Jinsoo entered the elevator. What a waste sticking my nose in. Regret, embarrassment, resentment, all sorts of emotions washed over him. Luckily there was no one else in this elevator.

Jinsoo lifted his head one last time.

No Haeil's mother had a completely frozen look on her face as she began to speak to No Haeil.

"Haeil, I think you have something to tell Mom. Where do you get that from?"

'It was a waste sticking my nose in! I should just tell her honestly-!'

The elevator doors slammed shut.